Method for securing a toilet seat to a toilet body and devices for carrying out the method

ABSTRACT

A method for fixing WC seat on a WC-body is disclosed. A positioning aid is aligned in relation to the WC seat. At least one toilet seat fixing element is aligned in at least one fixing opening of the WC-body using the positioning aid. A toilet seat fixing element is preliminarily fixed in a nominal position. The toilet seat fixing element is then permanently fixed by backfilling a free space between the toilet seat fixing element and a fixing opening with a permanently hardening gap filler.

This invention relates to a method for fixing a WC-seat to a WC-body, devices for carrying out the method according to the independent device claims as well as an installation kit comprising the components necessary for carrying out the method.

STATE OF THE ART

WC-seats are fixed on the upper side of a WC-body that defines an upper level with a WC-opening and a flushing compartment downwards adjacent to the WC-opening. The WC-seat is usually screwed with the WC-body at the rear end by two toilet seat fixing elements spaced from each other, preferably by means of two hinges that engage in a fixing opening into the WC-body by means of fixing bolts. The WC-seat usually comprises a swivel-mounted seat ring as well as a swivel-mounted cover separated therefrom; both parts can swivel from a raised opening position into a lowered closing or seating position, the cover being further raised, for the optional opening and for closing the WC-opening or the WC-body, often simply called “WC” or “ceramics”.

Disadvantages of the State of the Art

Wobbly WC-seats are a widespread and well-known everyday annoyance. Even seats that are still sufficiently firmly mounted shortly after having been mounted loosen after an extended use and wobble. The loads acting onto the WC-seat are tremendous. Due to movements of a user on the seat ring and due to dynamic loads when sitting down and getting up, loads occur that act in different directions onto the WC-seat fixation. In addition, there are loads due to actually not initially planned uses. There are, for example, users who stand with the feet on the toilet seat when using a public toilet in order to avoid a contact between the toilet and their legs. The WC actually designed as a seat toilet is thus misused as a WC on which they squat. Extreme shear and lever forces depending on the weight of the user do occur, especially when climbing up and down, and they have to be absorbed by the current WC fixations. Extreme loads result in the loosening of the fixing screws or in the expansion of bushes or only in the displacement of the fixations on the ceramics or on the WC-body.

In the state of the art, the WC-seat is fixed on the WC-ceramics in vertical fixing holes. These fixing holes are pierced in the still soft ceramics material already before baking the ceramics or are preformed or pre-molded in the mold by silicone plugs. The ceramics is then dried and baked at approximately 1200° C. It can then shrink by approximately 10 to 14%. Because of the great shrinking and of the baking process during which the ceramics becomes meanwhile very soft and unstable, relatively high tolerances have to be compensated when fixing the WC-seat on the later hardened ceramics. Here there are two approaches for compensating the tolerances.

Either toilet seat fixing elements that have an eccentric arrangement between the fixing screw and the stud bolt for fixing the seat are used at the building site. By rotating the eccentric arrangement, the seat can be accurately aligned on the ceramics. The fixing screw is then screwed to the ceramics by a dowel technology or a nut.

Alternatively, toilet seat fixing elements are used at the building site that constitute a stud bolt on a upwards oriented side for fixing the seat and that have a thread on the downwards oriented side. The tolerance compensation for the alignment of the WC-seat is carried out by an annular gap between the fixing bolt and the inner wall of the fixing opening in the ceramics. Due to the lacking lever arm between the fixing bolt and the stud bolt, these one-piece bolts are generally more stable than eccentric fixations.

A seat fixation that is inserted with a dowel technology from above into the fixing holes is described in the EP 2394552. When fixing, the dowel is centered in the middle of the fixing hole of the ceramics. In order to achieve a compensation of tolerances when positioning the WC-seat, the bolt to the WC-seat is placed offset to the dowel. This offset and the dowel material made of flexible plastics result in practice in that the seat fixation loosens during the use.

The EP 156967 A1 describes a fixation of the WC-seat that achieves the tolerance compensation and the positioning of the WC-seat related hereto with eccentrically placed bolts.

The JP 2000296075 A describes a technique for which the fixation of the WC-seat should be solved with an elastic or sticking washer under a screw head. But for aesthetic reasons, a big screw head is often undesirable. Moreover, there is the risk with an elastic material that it loses its elasticity under constant tension and that it is then no longer able to protect the fixation from slipping.

The JP 2001238821 A describes a technique that tries to secure the fixing screw and the associated nut with an elastic spring element against loosening and thus to avoid wobbling.

The EP 1177756 A2 describes a folding peg that is inserted from above into the fixing holes of the ceramics. Tolerances can be compensated through the ring groove between the fixing screw and the ceramics even with a centrally arranged stud bolt. But an eccentric and thus less stable version is also described. However, here too the general problem is the resilient elasticity of the folding peg. Since it has to be guided through the relatively small hole of the ceramics, it cannot be designed sufficiently stable to absorb the extreme forces that may arise during the use. When developing the invention, the reasons of the loosening of toilet seats first had to be investigated in this respect. The essential problem consequently consists in the general splitting of the assembly. The relatively great positional tolerances between the fixing holes and the outer contour of the ceramics have to be compensated by the installer during the mounting of the WC-seat. How well this succeeds does not depend only on the technique that is applied but also significantly on the carefulness and the professional expertise of the performing installer. While tightening the fixing screws, the WC-seat has to be held straight. The alignment of the WC-seat or of the toilet seat with the contour of the ceramics and the simultaneous alignment of both toilet seat fixing elements requires a great skill of the installer, in particular with eccentric fixing fittings. To align, to fix and simultaneously to tighten two screws does constitute a particular challenge.

A frequent reason consists in the use of eccentric fixing fittings. The connection between the upwards protruding stud bolt and the downwards protruding fixing bolt can in most cases only be realized in an insufficiently firm manner since the whole fixation should not be too big for design reasons. During the use, rotation forces act onto the fixing bolt through the lever arm. They can then result in a loosening of the fixing screw or of the fixing nut.

For studs bolts or fixing bolts that are formed in one piece, resilient washers made of metal or non-slip washers made of plastics are often used. Initially they impede the wobbling of a WC-seat quite well but over time the tension in the resilient element gets reduced through the tension of the screw connection between the fixing bolt, the ceramics and the fixing nut. Particularly for washers made of plastics or rubber, another aggravating factor is the creeping or flowing property of the materials. After a while, the tension of the screw connection is no longer sufficient to maintain the seat securely. If now the fixing screw also loosens, the seat is completely loose. In order to protect the ceramics surfaces of the WC, washers made of plastics that make this problem of flowing still worse are often used under metallic parts.

Even if such a fixation would be ideally constructed, the installer would have to tighten it actually with a torque wrench in order to take the accurately laid-out tension onto the connection. This does not meet the possibilities existing at the building site.

Aim

Starting from the state of the art mentioned in the introduction and from the disadvantages related herewith, the aim of the invention is to avoid these advantages at least partially and to make available in particular a method and devices for the permanent fixing in a fixed position of the WC-seat on the WC-body.

Invention

This aim is already achieved by a method with the following method steps:

-   -   Alignment of a positioning aid in relation to the WC-seat for         carrying out an equal distance;     -   Alignment of at least one toilet seat fixing element in at least         one fixing opening of the WC-body by means of the positioning         aid;     -   Preliminary fixing of the at least one toilet seat fixing         element with a fixing means in a nominal position and     -   Final fixing in an accurate and immovable position of the toilet         seat fixing element by backfilling the free space still existing         between the toilet seat fixing element and the fixing opening         with a permanently hardening gap filler.

Consequently the core of the invention consists in aligning the toilet seat fixing element with the positioning aid, first adapted at the factory to the concrete geometry and to the dimensions of the WC-body, in the exact position for the WC-seat to be mounted later at the building site, in the preliminary fixing thereof in this nominal position and finally in the end fixing by filling-in a hardening filling material so that a relative movement of the toilet seat fixing element is completely excluded after the hardening of the gap filler. The nominal position is thus the optimal location for the toilet seat fixing element in the fixing opening for the respective WC-body and adapted to the WC-seat to be used onto which minimal forces act in mounting position. This being, the toilet seat fixing element can, for example, first be inserted into the fixing opening with a first portion so that this first portion is surrounded by the WC-body, whereby a second portion can be outside the WC-body whereupon the toilet seat fixing element can then be held section by section in the fixing opening and preliminarily fixed in the nominal position with the fixing means relative to the WC-body. For example, both portions can be configured as a single-piece element of the toilet seat fixing element.

The toilet seat fixing element can be designed in more than one part, whereby for example a first component forms the first portion and a second component the second portion. This being, the alignment and/or the preliminary fixing and/or the end fixing of the toilet seat fixing element can refer exclusively to the first portion or to a component comprising the first portion. For example, the position of the toilet seat fixing element, for example that of gravity, can be fixed in two dimensions relative to the WC-body by aligning by means of the positioning aid while the toilet seat fixing element can be displaced and/or can rotate, for example in the third dimension, for example for the preliminary fixing of the toilet seat fixing element.

The positioning aid can be designed differently. For a highly automated production, it can be designed, for example, as a robot that measures the exact geometry of the WC-body with an optical system, a camera or the like and arranges the toilet seat fixing element in the nominal position and fixes it preliminarily in the nominal position. The gap filler is then filled-in for the end fixing into the still existing free space between the fixing opening and the toilet seat fixing element.

A less automated alternative of the assembly method according to the invention provides the configuration of the positioning aid as a seat contour element that comprises positioning means for the alignment in the accurate position and arrangement of at least one positioning opening in the nominal position for the at least one toilet seat fixing element. This seat contour element has the function of a template that can be aligned on the contour of the WC-body by the positioning means for the alignment and preliminarily fixing of the at least one toilet seat fixing element in the nominal position in the fixing hole.

The seat contour element can be designed, for example, as a cupped attachment that can be set on top onto the upper seating surface with the inlet opening for the flushing compartment of the WC-body. This being, the positioning means for the alignment in the nominal position comprise, for example, a circumferential edge or even an edge that is designed only in sections or with fingers so that the positioning opening provided in the seat contour element for the toilet seat fixing element is placed in the exact nominal position and the toilet seat fixing element can be preliminarily fixed therein.

In a preferred embodiment, the seat contour element is designed as a cup adapted to the geometry of the WC-body, that can be set onto a seating surface of the WC-body with a circumferential positioning edge wrapping around the seating surface in mounting position that is designed preferably as a single-piece part, particularly preferably as a plastic injection molded part.

The seat contour element or the positioning aid is aligned with the ceramics relative thereto insofar only after the baking of the ceramics and reproduces at least the dimensions and desired position of the WC-seat as it should be mounted later in the nominal position in mounting position at the building site. The seat contour element is aligned with the outer contour of the WC-body for achieving an even distance, preferably on both sides, between the seat contour element and the outer contour or the outer edge of the WC-body. The at least one toilet seat fixing element is then aligned in the seat contour element by means of the position holes. Tolerances are compensated here by the oversized fixing opening, thus by the fact that the fixing opening is bigger than the outer diameter of the toilet seat fixing element. An oversize of 2 to 5 mm is sufficient for this. The toilet seat fixing elements are then preliminarily fixed.

Finally, the hollow space or the annular gap between the toilet seat fixing element and the fixing opening of the ceramics is filled-in with a hardening gap filler that thus fixes the toilet seat fixing element permanently and immovably in the nominal position by being adapted to the WC-seat. After the gap filler is hardened, a relative movement of the toilet seat fixing element with respect to the WC-body is impossible, even under extreme stress conditions.

A person skilled in the art can understand that the order of the method steps is interchangeable and that thus the toilet seat fixing element can first be inserted into the fixing opening of the WC-body and its alignment in the nominal position, preferably with the seat contour element on the WC-body, can then take place for the preliminary fixing. In a further alternative, the filling-in of the gap filler into the fixing opening is first carried out, for example by using an auxiliary device for holding the gap filler, the toilet seat fixing element is then inserted into this still liquid or viscous gap filler and is preliminarily fixed in the nominal position with the aid of the fixing means, if need be by using the seat contour element, so that the gap filler then hardens for the end fixing.

The preliminary fixing preferably takes place with a nut or a bolt and a washer that are connected with the fixing element from the lower side of the WC-body; but it can also be carried out by a clamp or another appropriate fixing means. Generally, the preliminary fixing of the toilet seat fixing element is carried out relative to the WC-body in such a manner that the toilet seat fixing element is removably fixed to the WC-body by the fixing means, i.e. that the toilet seat fixing element can be non-destructively removed from the WC-body by loosening the fixing means.

The end fixing is carried out by filling-in the gap filler into the filling opening, for example by positioning a tool on the toilet seat fixing element and filling-in the gap filler by means of the tool into the filling opening. The filling opening serves for filling the whole intermediate space between the inner side of the fixing opening and the preliminarily fixed toilet seat fixing element, in particular the fixing element in mounting position for carrying out the immovable end fixing in a fixed position thus of the whole gap or annular gap in a possibly existing intermediate space. The gap filler can be filled-in, for example can be injected, into the intermediate space through this filling opening that can be designed for example as a hole in the support or in a washer used as fixing auxiliary means. But the filling opening can also be a component of a longer filling channel that extends through one or several components of the toilet seat fixing element, for example can be inserted through a stud bolt, the support, the fixing element and its components or the fixing auxiliary means, thus for example through a bolt, a nut or a washer.

But it is also possible to provide supports that are adjustable in height and the position of which can be fixed on a threaded pin so that the support can be raised after the preliminary fixing along an axial part, for example along a stud bolt, from a mounting position bearing on the edge of the WC-ceramics on the fixing hole into a raised filling position. After filling the intermediate space with the gap filler, the support can then be lowered again and its position can be fixed, for example with a snap ring placed on top of the axial part in a groove.

The gap filler is preferably filled-in in a low-viscosity to high-viscosity form by the filling opening into the still existing hollow or ring space between the fixing opening and the toilet seat fixing element so that it completely hardens to the final use of the toilet. This being, the large tolerances of the ceramics are compensated by the positioning of the bolts by means of the template. Seat fittings and cemented stud bolts only need to compensate the much narrower tolerances that occur during the metal manufacturing. A wobbling of the WC-seat is thus permanently prevented.

Permanently hardening materials are preferably used as gap fillers such as, for example, one-component or multi-component setting resins, preferably two-component reaction resins, inorganic mineral binders, for example cement-based binders, hydrating silicates etc., bound materials or other appropriate gap-filling polymer adhesives that particularly preferably harden with ambient air. A mechanical fixation and possibly an additional material fixation of the fixing element is achieved by this gap filler in the nominal position, namely preferably with a bolt and a nut and with further possibly necessary fixing means. The hardening of the gap filler does not slow down the production of the WC-ceramics. Even if the hardening should take several hours, this is not a problem because the fixing element is exposed to extreme stresses only after the mounting of the WC-seat at the building site; but the gap filler is fully hardened at that time.

Additives for improving stability and in particular viscosity can also be added to the gap filler or to the resins, for example as glass fiber filaments, thus glass fiber threads or pieces. The wrapping up of the fixing element in filling material, glass fiber elements that finely bind with the used gap filler or the like is also possible.

The hardened material is preferably not elastic although slightly elastic materials could also be appropriate for some applications.

According to the invention, in order to achieve the aim mentioned in the introduction, a toilet seat fixing element is provided in order to fill-in the gap filling gap filler that has a filling opening for filling-in the gap filler. This filling opening can be designed as a small opening for injecting the gap filler, for example in the support or in a washer used as auxiliary fixing means, or can also be a component of a longer filling channel that can be designed, for example, as a central bore, as a lateral groove or as a bore in a screw used as a fixing means. The filling channel extends in mounting position at least with a component in the mounting direction top down. The filling opening can be placed in the filling channel on a first portion along this mounting direction, whereby a discharge opening can be provided on a second portion along this mounting direction that is spaced from the first portion in this direction. In particular the filling opening can be placed at the upper end and the discharge opening at the lower end of the filling channel.

The gap filler is preferably filled-in in low-viscosity to high-viscosity form and can then harden to the final use of the toilet.

The large tolerances of the ceramics are compensated by the positioning of the toilet seat fixing element in the nominal position by means of the seat contour element. The seat fittings and cemented stud bolts of the toilet seat fixing element only need to compensate the much narrower tolerances that may occur during the metal manufacturing. A wobbling of the WC-seat is thus permanently prevented. Because of the gluing and/or cementing, the toilet seat fixing elements can neither be displaced, nor rotate and are insofar fixed permanently in an accurate position in the nominal position adapted to the seat contour. Insofar, a nut inserted for fixing can no longer be loosened by torsional motions of the toilet seat fixing element. After the gap filler has hardened, the toilet seat fixing element itself can no longer move in the fixing opening and is insofar fixed in an accurate position permanently and immovably in the nominal position. After the final fixing and hardening of the gap filler, stresses that occur and act onto the toilet seat fixing element (traction and/or shear and/or torsion) in mounting position can thus also be substantially absorbed by the filling material.

In a particularly stable embodiment, the toilet seat fixing element is designed as a one-piece fixing bolt that is preferably made of steel or of another tough and resistant material.

Another embodiment provides a multi-piece configuration of the toilet seat fixing element, for example in form of a fixing bush that can be inserted into the fixing opening that is preliminarily fixed from below with a fixing means as well as a stud bolt that can be inserted from above, for example that can be screwed, into the fixing bush. For this design too, means for avoiding a relative motion (preferably means for preventing rotation) are preferably provided between the fixing bush and the stud bolt.

The toilet seat fixing element is preferably configured at least sectionwise secured against rotation at the fixing end that can be inserted into the fixing opening for achieving a positive fit with the gap filler; it has, for example, sectionwise an angular or edge shape.

In the particularly stable embodiment, the support of the toilet seat fixing element has a covering design, is thus designed for completely covering the fixing opening in mounting position, preferably in every arrangement in the fixing opening, thus also if bearing on one side of the fixing opening. This support is preferably designed as a circumferential support flange or support collar that protrudes radially over the nominal diameter. The maximal diameter of the support is at least the diameter of the fixing opening minus the diameter of the toilet seat fixing element at the fixing end inserted in the fixing opening, preferably plus a safety margin of 10 to 20%. In order to avoid a discharge of the gap filler when filling-in the gap filler, the support preferably has a sealing design or comprises sealants on the lower support side in mounting position, for example in form of at least one O-ring.

In the preferred embodiment, the toilet seat fixing element is designed as a substantially pin-shaped or cylindrical fixing bolt that can have a one-piece or a multi-piece design and that preferably has a stud bold for fixing the WC-seat at the upper end, the support in the central portion and a fixing portion at the lower end for fixing at the fixing opening.

The invention thus proposes a simple mounting method for the reproducible mounting of a WC-seat on a WC-ceramics under industrial conditions in the ceramics factory that avoids the interfaces between the WC-body and the toilet seat fixing element occurring because of the different shrinking process of the ceramics when hardening with constantly varying tolerances. There thus results an interface with low tolerances between the toilet seat fixing element and the WC-seat. Therefore, for the final mounting of the WC-seat the installer only needs to connect components that are compatible with each other and the alignment of the WC-seat with respect to the WC-body is no longer required. Insofar untrained staff can also perform the mounting.

Due to the mechanical fixation with a bolt and a nut, the hardening process of the cementing or of the gluing of the toilet seat fixing element does not slow down the manufacturing of the WC-ceramics. Even if the hardening should take several hours, this is not a problem because the toilet seat fixing element is exposed to the extreme stresses only after the mounting of the WC-seat at the building site.

A further essential advantage of the invention consists in the fact that only harmonizing materials are in operative connection the one with the other in mounting position, namely the metal fitting on the metal bolt and no longer metal with the ceramics of the WC-body which can always result in undesired damages of the surface of the WC-body and make it unattractive.

Several toilet seat fixing elements designed according to the invention, in particular two, preferably designed as fixing bolts, are preferably used for fixing the WC-seat to the WC-body. These toilet seat fixing elements are usually placed spaced from each other at a distance of approximately 16 to 20 cm in the horizontal surface in the fixing area at the rear end of the WC-body in corresponding fixing openings.

A more stable embodiment provides two toilet seat fixing elements connected at a distance with each other by a connecting element or a one-piece fixing slat with two spaced toilet seat fixing elements.

The gap filler can be filled-in into the filling opening either by means of an attachable adapter or by means of a syringe or the like.

The WC-body is preferably made of a mineral substance with an outside glazing that hardens to a ceramics during the baking process. But the invention can fundamentally be used for WC-bodies made of any material, for example for a steel body or plastics, for example Corian, a mineral material that allows the shaping of any desired geometry. The WC-seat that usually comprises a cover and a seating ring is preferably made of a Duroplast.

The invention is insofar particularly suitable for modern design ceramics for forming a harmonious WC-body with an outer wall closed as far as possible all around the sides, for what reason the lateral access to the toilet seat fixing elements is particularly difficult thereon.

Therefore, the scope of the invention comprises insofar also an installation kit that comprises a WC-seat, one or several toilet seat fixing elements as well as a gap filler that can be marketed as such for the basic equipment or retrofitting.

Several preferred embodiments of the invention that are represented as not restrictive examples in the drawings will be described in detail below.

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through the rear fixing end of a WC-ceramics.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective cross-section of a first embodiment of a fixing bolt inserted in the WC-ceramics.

FIG. 3 shows a front sectional view of the fixing bolt according to FIG. 2 fixed on the WC-ceramics with an attached WC-seat.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective cross-section of an alternative embodiment of the fixing bolt according to the invention.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of the toilet seat fixed on the fixing bolt according to FIG. 4 in an enlarged detail view.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-section of a third embodiment of a fixing bolt.

FIG. 7 shows a cross-section of a fourth embodiment of a fixing bush for the rotary-fixed insertion of a fixing bolt.

FIG. 8 shows a top view of a seat template.

FIG. 9 shows a rear view of a design ceramics with an inserted fixing bolt before attaching the seat template before the preliminary fixing.

FIG. 10 shows the view according to FIG. 9 with an attached seat template.

Same parts or those with the same action are provided with the same reference signs.

In the following descriptions, reference is made to the annexed drawings that are part thereof and in which specific embodiments in which the invention can be applied are shown for illustration purposes. In this respect, direction terminology such as, for example, “top”, “bottom”, “in front”, “at the rear”, “front”, “rear” etc. is used with respect to the orientation of the described figure(s). Since components of embodiments can be positioned in a certain number of different orientations, the direction terminology serves for illustration and is in no way restrictive. It is evident that other embodiments can be used and structural or logical amendments can be carried out without any deviation from the scope of protection of this invention. The following detailed description is not to be understood in a restrictive sense. Within the scope of this description, the terms “connected”, “mounted” as well as “integrated” are used for describing a direct as well as an indirect connection, a direct or an indirect junction as well as a direct or an indirect integration. In the figures, identical or similar elements are provided with identical reference signs as far as this is appropriate. The representations in the attached figures are substantially true-scaled. However, for illustrating details, certain areas are represented exaggeratedly big which is recognizable for a person skilled in the art. Moreover, the drawings can be strikingly simplified and do not contain any potentially existing detail for the practical execution.

The WC-ceramics 2 shown in its entirety in the figures only with the fixing end for the WC-seat comprises at the rear end, thus between a flushing compartment or a WC-compartment and a wall supporting the WC, a fixing end that extends horizontally in mounting position with which the WC-ceramics 2 is fixed to the wall or to the front wall by fixing bolts in a known manner. Flushing water for carrying out the flushing is supplied to the WC-ceramics by a flushing water pipe that is usually provided with a siphon as well as with a drainage connection that flows into the WC-ceramics from behind and through which water polluted by feces or flushing water can be flushed out of the flushing compartment within the scope of a flushing process out of the flushing compartment.

At the fixing end that defines in mounting position the upper horizontal plane of the WC-body, the WC-ceramics 2 comprises two fixing openings 4, 6, in this case end-to-end openings, that are spaced from each other at a distance of approximately 16 to 20 cm, with an inner diameter of 1 to 1.5 cm, preferably of 1.2 cm, into which fixing bolts 8, 10 represented in the figures can be inserted.

Each fixing bolt 8, 10 is configured as an oblong, pin-shaped element that is preferably made out of steel. At the upper end, each fixing bolt 8, 10 is designed for fixing to a WC-seat, in this case as a cylindrical stud bolt 8A that extends from the upper end to approximately the middle of the fixing bolt 8 with a widening of the outer diameter so that the fixing bolt forms a heel or a circumferential support flange 8B that bears in mounting position on top with its lower side on the upper horizontal plane of the WC-ceramics 2, that is thus in any case bigger than the diameter of the fixing openings 4, 6 so that this support flange 8B forms a sealing support on the upper side of the WC-ceramics 2. In the support surface orientated downwards in mounting position, the ring-shaped support flange 8B is provided with two ring grooves into which O-rings 16 can be inserted for a better sealing. Furthermore, a cylindrical threaded pin 8C extends from the support flange 8B downwards in one piece from the middle of the fixing bolt 8, whereby a washer 12 that is preferably made of metal and a fixing nut 14 can be attached at the lower end thereof in mounting position for the preliminary fixing to the WC-ceramics 2.

This preliminary fixing already realizes the desired alignment of the fixing bolts 8, 10 in the desired nominal position by being adapted to the geometry and the alignment of the seat contour element that corresponds to the outer dimensions of the WC-seat in mounting position by being adapted to the geometry of the specific WC-ceramics.

After this preliminary fixing, the end fixing is carried out by filling-in the gap filler by the filling channel 8D into a possibly still existing hollow or ring space between the fixing opening 4, 6 and the threaded pin 8C or the threaded bolt 18 placed therein in the nominal position.

For this purpose, the fixing bolt 8 comprises a filling channel 8D that extends from the upper end in the middle of the stud bolt 8A to approximately in the middle of the threaded pin 8C with a discharge channel 8E extending at the lower end transversely to this 8D, discharge channel through which the still flowable gap filler can be filled-in into the annular gap by means of an adapter attachable on top of the fixing bolt 8. This gap filler that thus completely fills the annular gap then hardens which preferably takes place at ambient temperature—but for other gap fillers the hardening takes place only after the further effect of heat—and fixes the fixing bolt permanently in the accurate position.

After the final fixing, the WC-seat 20 is attached onto the stud bolts 8A of the fixing bolts 8, 10. To this purpose, the WC-seat 20 has insertion openings that are adapted to the geometry of the stud bolts 8A that thus cooperate with the stud bolt free of backlash in mounting position. For a better sealing and fixing, the stud bolt comprises two grooves 8F, 8G axially spaced from each other into which O-rings 8G, 8I are inserted. The undetachable fixing of the WC-seat 20 to the stud bolt 8A is carried out by screwing-in a headless screw laterally into a fixing opening 20A on the WC-seat 20 that engages in mounting position into an upper recess 8H on the stud bolt 8A.

The embodiment of the fixing bolt 10 in the FIGS. 4 and 5 differs from that above described in the two-piece design with an upper stud bolt 10A in mounting position and a threaded bolt 18 screwed therein from below. For the preliminary fixing, in this embodiment the threaded bolt 18 is first screwed into the corresponding inner thread on the inner side of the stud bolt 10A by using a washer 12.

Moreover, in this embodiment, the filling-in of the gap filler for the end fixing also takes place with the threaded bolt 10K wherefore this threaded bolt has a filling opening extending in longitudinal direction with a following filling channel 18A for filing-in the gap filler and a discharge opening 18B extending transversely hereto by which the gap filler thus penetrates into the annular gap for the complete filling thereof.

In the embodiment in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a ventilation channel 100 for the escaping air during the filling process can be provided in the fundamentally also cylindrical stud bolt with a downwards enlarging support flange. For this embodiment too, an O-ring 16 is used on the lower side of the support flange 10B for a better sealing.

The fixing of the WC-seat 20 takes place in the above described manner by the attachment onto the upper side of the stud bolts 10A and by the lateral screwing-in of headless screws in corresponding fixing openings on the WC-seat 20.

In an alternative embodiment, the filling with the gap filler for the end fixing can also take place by a filling opening in the washer 12.

The fixing bolt 26 represented in FIG. 6 comprises an upper cylindrical stud bolt portion 26A, the outer diameter of which enlarges, in this case, from approximately 15 mm approximately in the middle at a right angle radially outwards, for forming a support flange 26B with approximately 1.5 to 2 times the outer diameter of the stud bolt portion 26A and which is then followed by a threaded portion 26C with an outer thread (M8) with a slightly smaller diameter than the stud bolt portion 26A. A filling channel 26D extends in the middle through the stud bolt portion 26A in the area of the support flange 26B to a discharge opening 26E at the upper end of the threaded portion 26C. The discharge opening 26E extends transversely to the filling channel 26D. Again two concentric grooves are provided on the lower side of the support flange 26B from which an O-ring 28 is placed in the outer groove for the sealing support on the upper side of the WC-ceramics around the fixing opening 4, 6. With respect to the rest of the design, the embodiment of the fixing bolts does not differ from that above described so that reference is made to the further description above. But in any case there are also two superimposed grooves on the stud bolt portion 26A for receiving O-rings 22, 24 which allows a sealing fixing of the WC-seat on the fixing bolt 26 free from backlash by the simple attachment or sliding on thereof.

FIG. 7 shows an enlarged cross-section through a toilet seat fixing element designed as a fixing bush 30 that is inserted in a fixing opening 4 of the rear horizontal fixing portion of a WC-ceramics 2. This embodiment comprises a hollow cylindrical fixing bush 30 with an outwards protruding, at the upper end radially circumferential support collar 30A by approximately the double nominal diameter of the fixing bush 30, support collar that comprises a groove with an inserted O-ring 32 at its lower supporting side. It can be clearly recognized that the dimensions of the support collar are such that, for any placement of the fixing bush 30 inside the fixing opening 4, 6, thus also for a bearing on the sides of the fixing opening 4, the support collar 30A in any case bears on the WC-ceramics 2 by completely covering the fixing opening 4 on both sides.

The fixing bush 30 is provided at the lower end with an outer thread 30B onto which a nut 34 can be screwed from the lower side of the WC-ceramics 2. In the portion above the outer thread 30B and below the support collar 30A, the cylindrical shell surface of the fixing bush 30 is pierced by a discharge opening 30C through which the gap filler can flow in for the end fixing from the fixing bush 30 into the free space between the fixing bush 30 and the fixing opening 4. A stud bolt that is not represented can be inserted into the central insertion opening 30D of the fixing bush 30. The insertion opening 30D of the fixing bush and the fixing end of the stud bolt are designed complementary to one another, for example cylindrically complementary or even angularly complementary for avoiding a relative motion of the components in mounting position.

The alignment in the accurate position of two fixing bolts 30, 32 on the rear horizontal connection portion of a design ceramics 34 will now be described with reference to the FIGS. 8 to 10. The ceramics comprises a skirt 34A closed on all sides for the encompassing covering of the flushing compartment that extends from the upper seating surface almost completely to the lower end of the lower siphon 34C. The positioning means designed in this embodiment as a cover template 36 forms the toilet seat adapted to the design ceramics 34 and has a positioning edge, as a positioning means, that wraps around the upper edge of the seating surface of the design ceramics and that extends in the viewing direction in the plane of the representation.

The cover template 36 comprises at the rear end two positioning holes 36A, 36B spaced from each other at a distance of 20 to 22 cm that receive the upper stud bolt of the fixing bolts 30, 32 free of backlash. The fixing bolts 30, 32 are then tightened by tightening nuts onto the lower threads of the fixing bolts 30, 32 and are thus preliminary fixed. Finally, the gap filler is filled-in for filling possible intermediate spaces between the fixing bolts 30, 32 and the fixing openings in the connection portion of the design ceramics 34.

The invention is self-evidently not limited to the use in connection with a design ceramics but can be used for any possible ceramics.

The subject matter of this invention does not result only from the subject of the single patent claims but from the combination of the single patent claims the one with the other. All the indications and characteristics disclosed in these documents, including the abstract, in particular the spatial configuration represented in the drawings, are claimed as being essential to the invention as far as they are new with respect to the state of the art, individually or in combination.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

-   2 WC-ceramics -   4 Fixing opening -   6 Fixing opening -   8 Fixing bolt -   8A Stud bolt -   8B Support flange -   8C Threaded pin -   8D Filling channel -   8E Discharge opening -   8F Groove -   8G Groove -   8H Recess -   10 Fixing bolt -   10A Stud bolt -   10B Support flange -   10C Ventilation channel -   11 O-ring -   12 Washer -   14 Fixing nut -   16 O-ring -   18 Threaded bolt -   18A Filling channel -   18B Discharge opening -   20 WC-seat -   20A Fixing opening -   22 O-ring -   24 O-ring -   26 Fixing bolt -   26A Stud bolt portion -   26B Support flange -   26C Threaded portion -   26D Filling channel -   26E Discharge opening -   28 O-ring -   30 Fixing bush -   30A Support collar -   30B Outer thread -   30C Discharge opening -   30D Insertion opening -   32 O-ring -   34 Nut -   30 Fixing bolt -   32 Fixing bolt -   34 Design ceramics -   34A Skirt -   34B Flushing compartment -   34C Siphon -   36 Cover template -   36A Positioning hole -   36B Positioning hole 

1. A method for the permanent fixing in a fixed position of at least one toilet seat fixing element for making possible a permanent fixing in a fixed position of a WC-seat (20) on a WC-body comprising the method steps: aligning a positioning aid in relation to the WC-seat; aligning said at least one toilet seat fixing element in at least one fixing opening of the WC-body by means of the positioning aid; preliminarily fixing of the at least one toilet seat fixing element with a fixing means in a determined nominal position, and finally fixing in a fixed, permanent and immovable position of the toilet seat fixing element by backfilling a free space between the toilet seat fixing element and the fixing opening with a permanently hardening gap filler.
 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that first the alignment takes place, then the preliminary fixing and finally the end fixing.
 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a seat contour element that can be aligned on the WC-body is used as a positioning aid with at least one positioning hole for the alignment of the toilet seat fixing element in the nominal position.
 4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the seat contour element is attached onto the WC-body for realizing an even alignment adapted to the geometry of the WC-body.
 5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the end fixing takes place at ambient temperature.
 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the end fixing takes place by applying heat.
 7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the filling material is not elastic.
 8. A toilet seat fixing apparatus comprising: a toilet seat fixing element for fixing a WC-seat to a WC-body comprising a support for attachment on a support surface of the WC-body that surrounds a fixing opening, a stud bolt that extends upwards from the support in mounting position for fixing the WC-seat and a fixing element extending downwards from the support for fixing to the WC-body, wherein said fixing element has a filling opening for filling-in a flowable, permanently hardening gap filler into a free space formed in mounting position between the fixing opening and the fixing element for realizing an immovable fixing in a determined position.
 9. The toilet seat fixing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the filling opening is a component a filling channel extending through one or several upper components of the toilet seat fixing element.
 10. The toilet seat fixing element apparatus according to claim 8 designed in a single piece.
 11. The toilet seat fixing apparatus according to claim 8 comprising multiple pieces.
 12. The toilet seat fixing apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising means for avoiding a relative motion between multiple pieces.
 13. The toilet seat fixing apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the filling channel is provided in one of the stud bolt (8A) and the fixing element.
 14. The toilet seat fixing apparatus according claim 9 wherein the filling channel is provided in a washer used for the fixation or in another fixing aid.
 15. The toilet seat fixing apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the support completely covers the fixing opening in any alignment in mounting position.
 16. The toilet seat fixing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the support comprises a radially circumferential support flange or support collar that protrudes beyond a nominal diameter of the fixing opening in mounting position.
 17. The toilet seat fixing apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the support is provided on a fixing bush (30) that can be inserted into the fixing opening and the stud bolt can be inserted into the fixing bush.
 18. The toilet seat fixing apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising means preventing rotation in a mounting position.
 19. The toilet seat fixing apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a seat contour element that can be aligned as positioning aid on a WC-body, said seat contour element comprising positioning means for aligning at least one positioning hole on the WC-body for the alignment and preliminary fixing of said toilet seat fixing element in a nominal position.
 20. The toilet seat fixing apparatus of claim 19 wherein the seat contour element is configured as a cup adapted to a geometry of the WC-body with a positioning edge wrapping around a seating surface of the WC-body in mounting position.
 21. The toilet seat fixing apparatus of claim 20 wherein the seat contour element is designed as a one-piece injection mold part.
 22. (canceled)
 23. A WC-seat installation kit comprising: a toilet seat; at least one toilet seat fixing element for fixing a WC-seat to a WC-body including a support for attachment on a support surface of the WC-body that surrounds a fixing opening, a stud bolt that extends upwards from the support in mounting position for fixing the WC-seat and a fixing element extending downwards from the support for fixing to the WC-body, where the fixing element has a filling opening; a seat contour element that can be aligned as positioning aid on a WC-body, including positioning means for aligning at least one positioning hole on the WC-body for the alignment; and a gap filler. 